Late To The Party: Mad Max (2015)

Mad Max was released in 2015 and on a little buying spurt, I picked it up for under $20. The game clearly takes inspiration from and exists in the same universe as Fury Road, only with a couple knobs turned to the left, so it's kinda/sorta but not exactly the same.

The gameplay mechanics break down into two main wheelhouses: the first is the Batman: Arkham Asylum style fisticuffs. Essentially, a lot of button mashing, with occasional breaks in the action to counter an attack, and then continue the chain. 

The second is involves car combat and I don't have a point of reference here. Unfortunately, neither did the developer, according to the wiki. This shows, and it's a problem because driving is kind of a Mad Max thing right?

However there was a progression system, so the car would get better as the game played and I was enjoying that-I was even starting to get the hang of car combat. That's important because I was starting to find and activate fast travel points, just so I wouldn't have to drive. 

But just as I was getting the car combat, the fisticuffs experience was getting stale. I unlocked new moves but they never seemed applicable. This is the problem with one-button fighting: I don't ever seem to understand the context where new moves are available.

Or, a button prompt would come up and then that same button would suddenly prompt another move and by the time I had reacted, I was doing a move I did not intend. 

However, none of these were backbreaking. The world felt interesting and it could be thrilling. Combat could be something that I could improve on. 

Were there bullshit tasks? Yes: Collecting scrap was unnecessary, since outposts Max frees start to generate scrap automatically. But every game of this type has bullshit tasks.

There was also a missed opportunity: there are Strongholds in Mad Max where you meet allies and they provide you stuff while you bring items there for projects-more scrap production, water, food, bullets, better maps, things like that.

But the Strongholds aren't unique. The story rewards are unique, but once I have food production at Jeet's place, why do I need it at Gutgash's? A limited set of rewards would spur more interaction and choice for the player, in my opinion. Do I go for replenished food at one Stronghold, or do I look for more scrap at another? 

None of these things are why I quit playing though. 

Sandstorms are why. Check out this video. Five and a half minutes of shit visibility, impaired movement, constant damage and no way out. 

Where's the fun part of this loop? 

When I went through my third sandstorm-which happened in the middle of a raid I had on a base!-I tried to wait it out. The condition wouldn't go away and the only thing that stopped the sandstorm was my character dying and the game resetting. 

I have better things to do.